Wire handling device



Feb. 16, 1937.

c. A, THOMPSON WIRE HANDLING DEVICE Filed dat. li4, 19:55

Feb. 16, 1937.

c. A. THOMPSON WIRE HMIDLING` DEVICE Fil'ed Oct. 14, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 freyefezdr 3a ofFigure2.-

Figure 'a is a section taken on line iiof Fig- Patented Feb. 1931l "PATENT ori-'ica A ao'zoouf, wma nmnmofpavrcs csi-1A. rmmpson. nume, m. y i Application october 14, 193s, serial No. 44.964

fs'cnims., (ci. zia--'ao One object of the present invention is to pro--v vide apparatus of simple and .economical construction for unwinding spools or coils of wire. m such as barbed wire, preparatory to use in fence making, and bymeans of which loose wire on the ground can readily be wound up. g j

Another object of the invention is to provide a n wire handling device comprising a reel having two v separable sections which upon separation enable the coil of wire wound thereon to' be removed or a coil of wire previously wound to be inserted for the purpose of uriwinding the same. 'Cther objects of the invention relate to vario '20 features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be apparent from a considerationof the following specication and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a broken side elevation illustrating one mode of using my improved wire unwinding device.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device illustrated in Figure. 1.

.' Figure 3 is a sectionalV view taken on line 3'3 Figure 5 is a top plan view partially in section" of a modificationof the improved wire wind-up or unwinding device.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged broken sectional view taken on line 'I--loi Figure 6` Figure 8 is a section taken on line 8-8 of Figure 7.

In the drawings,- Ill is a spool or reel upon which barbed wire is adapted to be wound as illustrated in Figure 2. The spool shown has disk shaped ends Il.

Conventional barbed wire spools are provided with axial recesses 'for receiving rods for vconvenience in handling the wire. Extending grooves I3 adjacent the outer ends as shown in Figure 4. For pulling the spool along the ground for unwinding the wire after one end of the same has been attached to a post as indicated at I4 in-Figure 1, I provide a bail-like draft device I5 preferably of U-shape and formed of tubular material. The ends of the bail are provided with `openings I6 for receiving the ends of the shaft I2. A spring I1 `is secured adjacent each end of the bail and each spring carries a pin l which projects through an opening I9 into the annular grooves I3 of the respective ends of the shaft to v retain the ends of the bail in operative positionthereon. In using'the device the operator may walk within the vconfines of the .bail I5 and pull 10 it along the ground,'thus unwinding the wire from the spool as the latter rolls over the ground. When the circumference of the wire on the spool is less than the circumference ofthe reel ends I I, each revolution of the spool on the ground will 15 tend to move the spool a distanceaway from the anchoredend I4 of the wire greater" thanv the length of wire paid out during 'such revolution and .hence tension will be exerted on the Vwire which will cause it to be unwound without kink- 20 'As' shown in Figure 2, the bail I5 may have attached thereto a pair of short chains 30 or the like, by -means of which the device can be attached'to the bumper 2| of a vehicle 22 and the 25 wire 'unwound by driving the vehicle along the line of' the fence to be built. a

Thetievice shown in Figures l and 2 may be employed also in winding up wire lying on the groundicr example a wire removed from aline 30 of posts. lIn utilizing the improvements for-this purpose, one end of the wire is attached to the spool or reel and by means of thebail or draft ldevice I5, the spool is rolled along the ground over the wire, causing it to be wound around, 35 although not tightly upon, the spool. Thedisk shaped ends il of the spool thus constitute ground wheels during the windingof wire upon or unwinding wire from the spool or reel as the latter is' moved along the ground. l 40 When the'wire has been wound upon the spool the second end of the wire can' be. suitably secured against unwinding, the springs Il elevated to eect the disengagement of the 4pins I8 from the grooves i3, the shaft or axle I2 removed from 45 the spool and an empty spool inserted in the vbail if desired.

.The modified form of Wire handling device illustrated in Figures to 8 inclusive lcomprises a' tubular housing 23' through which a shaft I 2a 50 extends, which corresponds to the shaft I2 shown in .Figures 1 to 4 inclusive. Mounted on the housing 28 is a hub 2d to which are attached, in the embodiment shown in Figure 6, four spokes 25. The -hub is shown as comprising two split 55 'ze by bolts esa, as illustrated iii-Figure s. carried by the ends of the spokesis a group of arcuate arms 2b and a group of mating armsr.

The outer ends of the arms 2d are secured together by a ring or tire v2s while the corresponding ends of the arms 2l are likewise attached to a ring 29. The inner ends of the arms 25 andA the mating arms 2l have radially disposed ends 30 and 3i which are disposed within sleeves 32 slidably positioned -on the respective spokes 25.

` Disposed on the spokes 25 betweenthe respective sleeves 32' and the hub 2d -are springs 3e which press the sleeves 32 outwardly to the position shown in Figures 5 and 6.

The Sleeves 32, as shown in Figure?, preferably are provided with slots 34 through which extend pins 35 which are carried by the spokes 25. Detachably secured to the projecting ends -of the shaft Il2a is a bail 36 simi1ar.to bail I5 of the above described modification and having springs 31 carrying pins 3Q for 'attachment to the slotted shaft i2a. By releasably attaching an end of a wire lying on the ground vto one of the arms 26 ir-2lil and pushing or pulling the and the 'inwardly directed ends 3B and 3! of the-arms separated." When the corresponding ends`of the other arms 26 and 21 have been released'in like manner and thebail 8S removed, one half of the'reel comprising the arms 26 and the loop or ring 2d can be separated from the opposite half and the coil of wire rerrioved. Thus by means of this device wire can be wound up into a coil and removed :romihe device in coil form.

The device shown in Figures 5 to 8 can be used for unwinding wire 'wound thereon as above described or a coilwound upon the reel and sub sequently removed therefrom may be replaced in the reel for unwinding in the carne manner as illustrated in Figure l.

` While l have shown and described certain "embodiments o my invention for the purpose -of illustration, do not wish to be restricted specifically thereto except as so limited by the appended claims.

A I claim: l

l. s. wire winding reel comprising a hub, spokes carried thereby, two separable groups oi wire v r ao'iaoss sections which are clamped upon the housingreceiving arms carried by said spokes, annular members connecting the ends o each group of arms and constituting tires whereby the reel can be rolled along theground, and siidable sleeves ,detachably connecting both -groups of arms to said spokes and enabling the separation of the same from.- said spokes and from one another for releasing therefrom. in coil form the wire wound thereon.

2. A wire winding reelcomprising a hub. spokes carried thereby, two separable groups of wire receiving arms carried by said spokes, annular' members connecting the ends of each group of arms and constituting tires whereby the reel can be rolled along the ground, and means detachably connecting both groups ofa arms to said spokes and enabling the separation of the same from said spokes and :from one another for releasing therefrom in coil form the wire wound thereon, said means comprising spring .pressed sleeves carried by said spokes and arranged to engage portions or said arms.-

3. A reel for winding up wire comprising a hub, spokes carried thereby, two groups of separable arms,- an annular tire-'secured to the outerY ends of each group, the inner end of each'of .said arms of one group being paired with the inner end of an arm of the other group, and a slidable sleeve on each spoke for releasably engaging and supporting one pair of said arms.

4; 'A reel for winding up wire comprising a hub, spokes carried thereby, 'two groups of separable K arms,.an annular tire secured to the outer ends of each group.'the inner end of each of said arms of one group being paired with the inner end of .an 'arm of the other group, a slidable sleeve on each spoke for releasably. engaging and supporting one pair of said arms, and means for retaining said sleeves in arm engaging position during operation of the reel;

5. A wire winding device comprising e. reel provided with a hub, spokes carried thereby, two groups of complementary wire receiving' arms detachably mountedon said spokes, a tire se= cured to each group ci spokes to prevent radial outward displacement of said arms from said spokes, and spring pressed sleeves 'for said spokes each for engaging a complementary pair of said arms, said sleeves being slidable longitudinally of said spokes against the action of the vrespecl arms whereby the wire 

